US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has sparked controversy by publicly celebrating Iran's elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, boasting that he 'maybe even danced a happy dance' after revoking the team's visas. Iran were knocked out on Monday after a 1-1 draw with Egypt, finishing third in Group G with three points from three draws, ultimately eliminated due to an inferior goal difference compared to Senegal.
Mullin's Taunts and Visa Revocation
Mullin, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, told reporters: 'I'm just glad they're done, and they're not coming back. I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave the US soil. And I might've sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance.' He added that 'there wasn't a single team that we had to spend more time dealing with than Iran.'
The comments come amid ongoing tensions between Iran, the US, and Israel, and follow complaints from Iranian officials about the treatment of their national squad. Iran's head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, described his side as the 'most oppressed' at the tournament, citing relocations and travel limitations.
Iran's World Cup Ordeal
Iran's training headquarters was relocated from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, ahead of the World Cup, and the team faced travel restrictions throughout the competition. They were the only nation forced to depart immediately after matches on US soil. Ghalenoei lamented the 'very unfair' handling, revealing his squad had 'less than half' the required preparation time.
Iran captain Mehdi Taremi echoed these sentiments, stating: 'This kind of tension undermines the joy of the World Cup. I felt the tension from the first moment we arrived.' The team's elimination was sealed not on the pitch but by a 95th-minute equalizer from Sasa Kalajdzic in a 3-3 draw between Algeria and Austria, which gave Senegal the edge on goal difference.
Controversial VAR Decision
The match against Egypt ended contentiously when a stoppage-time goal by substitute Shoja Khalilzadeh was disallowed by VAR after an animated graphic showed an extraordinarily fine margin, reportedly mere millimetres. Iran's ambassador to the US, Abolfazl Pasandideh, criticized the 'pseudo-VAR' interventions in a statement to Politico, writing: 'Perhaps some balls fell just centimetres short of bringing joy to millions of Iranians - centimetres that were not even measured by the linesman's flag, yet were magnified by pseudo-VAR interventions.'
Mullin's remarks are unlikely to ease tensions, as Pasandideh also voiced concerns about a conspiracy against his nation on the field, arguing that Iran battled 'fatigue, injustice, and hardships that rarely appeared before the cameras.'
